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Entrepreneurs Get A Chance To Develop Business Ideas

Aspiring entrepreneurs will have the chance to make their business dreams a reality.

The second annual Startup Weekend Athens is being held Jan. 25-27.

At Startup, participants can pitch their business ideas then all the participants vote on their favorites.

Teams then form around the top ideas and have 54 hours to work with professionals to create a business model.

"It's a great learning experience along with an opportuity to meet some seasoned entreupeneurs," said Jennifer Simon, organizer for Startup Weekend. "They’ll be given skills on how to very quickly build a business idea and take it to a business model by the end of the weekend."

There is also a competition aspect to the weekend with cash prizes.

Simon said last year, first place went to a team who designed a flash card app for college students.

"They came up with an app that allows you to take a picture of different concepts that you want to learn about and then be able to repeat that information back," said Simon.

Second place went to a team who created a web service for farmers where they can post when and where they will be selling products.

Third place went to a team who developed an app to help control the temperature of fish tanks.

The event is being sponsored by the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce, the Athens County Business Remixed, TechGROWTH Ohio and Ohio University’s Innovation Center, Vice President for Research and Creative Activity and Center for Entrepreneurship.